…“We have a bit of a backlog because of the paucity of human resources” — Registrar
Scenes from Tuesday’s ceremonial opening of the Demerara October Criminal Assizes
Members of the Guyanese Judiciary, including the Chief Justice and the legal fraternity, dressed in their court attire on Tuesday and walked within the precinct of the High Court in Demerara for the ceremonial opening of the Criminal Assizes for October.
Assizes are courts that sit at intervals in each county to administer criminal law.
The assizes ceremony has been a European custom since medieval times.
The judiciary and legal community in Guyana have upheld the tradition, which was brought from the United Kingdom to its colonies throughout the 17th century.
There are four assizes for the year in the county of Demerara. For the October session, 277 matters, the majority of which are for sexual offences, have been listed for trial before three Judges: Justices Jo-Ann Barlow, Navindra Singh and Simone Morris-Ramlall. Two of the three Judges will do regular criminal matters, while one of them has been assigned exclusively to the Sexual Offences Court.
The ceremonial march past was done by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), and Justice Barlow inspected the Guard of Honour to mark the commencement of the new session.
Demerara usually has more cases than the other counties because it covers a larger geographical and populated area. Demerara includes Georgetown, East Coast of Demerara, East Bank of Demerara, West Coast of Demerara, West Bank of Demerara, Linden, Rupununi, and North West Magisterial districts.
During an interview shortly after the opening, Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature, Sueanna Lovell, explained that the ceremony signifies that the criminal court is “open for business”, and that everybody who has found themselves in conflict with the law would have their cases heard in a timely manner by competent judicial officers.
“We try as far as possible to get as many cases heard in each session as we possibly can. Admittedly, on our criminal side, we have a bit of a backlog because of the paucity of resources in terms of human resources. Our Judges are not many, and criminal matters do not stop coming because we don’t have Judges,” said Lovell, a former Magistrate.
She added, “And so it is important to the judiciary to complete matters in an efficient and timely manner. Every time we open the assizes, it is a signal to the public that we are working to try to get ahead of the criminal matters that we have on our roster.”
Lovell revealed that the members of the recently appointed Judicial Service Commission (JSC) are meeting and considering with “alacrity” the appointment of judicial officers.
There are also cases for murder, attempt to commit murder, and manslaughter. There are also a few more cases for wounding with intent, abduction with intent to hold for ransom, robbery under arms, trafficking in narcotics, obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to commit murder, and accessory after the fact to murder. (G1)
